The invention is directed to a method for updating data sets in a communication system having a number of nodes in which each node has data banks, a central processor, and a plurality of processors that exchange data on the basis of a standardized protocol.
Communication networks are formed by a plurality of nodes that are networked to one another via connecting lines. One or more communication systems are arranged in each node. Each of these communication systems usually comprises a data bank in which the system-proper data as well as data with respect to the network structure are stored. The latter includes subscriber-related data of the subscribers connected to the communication network. The subscriber-related data may be directed to the physical and logical connection data of the subscriber coming into consideration, the telephone number, the authorization, etc.
Since subscriber-related data are subject to constant modification, possibly due to changes from the subscriber himself as well as the addition of new subscribers, there is a need to constantly keep the subscriber-related data in the data banks of all nodes absolutely current. To accomplish this, these data are permanently exchanged with one another and an update of the data banks of all nodes is implemented as needed. Routing protocols serve this purpose. The PNNI routing protocol is an example of this. Via the PNNI routing protocol, the data of a data bank are sent to the data banks of all nodes in a broadcast manner which implement corresponding updates as needed.
The updating of the data sets in the data banks, however, requires extensive measures in practice that must be implemented in the communication systems. In the prior art, the data incoming via a connecting line are initially subjected to an extensive check for consistency and syntax in the central processor of the appertaining communication system and are compared to the data sets stored in the appertaining data bank. Based on the measure of this comparison, data sets that were not found are defined as new and supplied to the processors of the data bank, which subsequently undertake the write-in into the data bank. The problem with such a procedure is that the central processor may become overloaded and, consequently, far too much time may have elapsed (from dynamic points of view) the updating event has been completed.
German Patent DE 41 25 389 discloses a method for the modification of system configuration datasets in a long-distance switching system. For producing the data consistency in this method, security copies of the content of at least a part of the databases are produced, and administration and maintenance commands subsequently input into the system and modifying the database contents are listed in the time sequence of their occurrence in the form of command information. Each command information is supplemented with a database-individual information that indicates the execution of non-execution of the respective administration and maintenance command. Particularly in those instances in which peripheral function modules are decoupled from the system at times, as well as those in instances in which new peripheral function modules are coupled to the system for the first time at a later point in time, data consistency is established with this procedure. However, these tasks are also mainly implemented by the central processor.
The object of the invention is to provide a method that characterizes data to be exchanged by checking for syntax and/or consistency and is further checked for a first novelty (new to a local data bank) by the plurality of processors; only data that checks positive is handed to the central processor that checks for second (system-wide) novelty, and distributes this data to the other processor if this check is positive.
What is particularly advantageous about the invention is that the updating process is split into 2 stages. The first stage is run on the peripheral processors allocated to the data bank and is defined by a check event of the data for syntax and/or consistency as well as an initial novelty. When the criteria of this check are met, the data evaluated as positive are handed over to the central processor. The second stage runs on the central processor and is formed by a check event of these data for a second novelty. This involves the advantage that the central processor is relieved, in particular, of the involved syntax and consistency checking events that take up a great part of the time in the updating event.
Advantageous developments of the invention are discussed below.